What would remain of a church if all of its institutional buttressing were removed? A great wind blows and takes away the roof and the walls. The bookkeeper checks on accounts only to find that the last cent on reserve has been spent. Paid leaders and staff hang on as long as possible but eventually … Continue reading Congregational Mapping – A Proposal
Estonian Rural Church Mission
One of the most personally exciting ministry developments in 2010 was the Union's decision to form of a Mission Council in the place of the previous Mission Secretary role. This shift to a Council approach reflects the facts that the Union's sense of mission 1) is appropriately diverse, 2) requires a corporate response, and 3) … Continue reading Estonian Rural Church Mission
Recruiting Help for Rural Churches
Since leaving Estonia for seminary back in 2003 we have been on the lookout for Alongsiders who might partner with our friends in rural Estonian churches for either shorter stints or longer terms of service. We've encountered a number of challenges along the way and each of these has given us an opportunity to re-evaluate … Continue reading Recruiting Help for Rural Churches
One of the things that troubles me most …
One of the things that troubles me most about ministry talk in the church is how often we elevate monetary and physical resources above human ones and how this juxtaposition of values can undermine our ultimate mission. It seems to me that Church history would indicate that some of our healthiest seasons have been when … Continue reading One of the things that troubles me most …